Senior figures in Australia’s technology industry have been recognised for their contributions to the sector as part of the 2025 Australia Day Honours.

This year’s honours recognised 732 “outstanding and inspirational Australians”, the governor-general's office said.

Among those appointed to the second-highest honour — Officer of the Order of Australia (AO) — was Professor Bronwyn Fox, an expert on composite materials who was formerly Chief Scientist at CSIRO.

Now deputy vice chancellor of research and enterprise at the University of New South Wales and an adjunct professor at Swinburne University of Technology, Fox has also advised policymakers on topics such as robotics, artificial intelligence, and quantum technologies.

She was appointed an AO for her work in research, manufacturing, and education.

The honour was a “huge surprise”, said Fox, who told Information Age she was “very humbled and grateful to be named”.

“I’ve worked closely in partnership with industry for my whole life and love the thrill of seeing the scientific breakthroughs from my team reach the real world in a new material, part, or process,” she said.

Fox said her mother, who taught specialist maths at a low socioeconomic status school, had been “a source of inspiration”.

“I've witnessed the transformative power of education in enabling people to reach their potential, and that has spurred me on every step of the way,” she said.

Professor Andrew Blakers, also appointed an AO, was recognised for his work in solar cell development and advocacy for renewable energy.

Now a professor of engineering at the Australian National University, Blakers helped invent a solar cell technology known as the Passivated Emitter and Rear Cell (PERC), which is used in many solar panels.

"It’s been a privilege to be involved in this industry,” Blakers said.

“I’ve been involved with solar energy since 1979, and have seen it grow from tiny panels in remote areas into a global juggernaut.”

TechnologyOne founder expresses ‘enormous appreciation’

Adrian Di Marco, who founded what is now Australia’s largest enterprise software company, TechnologyOne, was awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) for his service to information technology.

The son of Italian immigrants, Di Marco told Information Age he felt “enormous appreciation and gratitude” for the honour, and for the opportunities his family found in Australia.

“To get this award, it’s fabulous — I'm very appreciative,” he said.

“To have the opportunity to build a company like TechnologyOne here in Australia — people said it couldn’t be done … people said it was crazy.”

Di Marco, who founded TechnologyOne in 1987 and was previously its chief executive officer, chief innovation officer, and executive chairman, said he was proud of the many people who had helped build the company.

“Just watching the people band together and make things happen — it's wonderful to be part of that process,” he said.

Di Marco has previously been honoured with the Australian Computer Society award in recognition of his contribution to ICT and was made an ACS fellow in 2010.

NASA tracking station colleagues recognised

Also among those awarded an OAM were two former NASA employees who played key roles operating tracking stations in Australia during historic NASA missions.

English-born immigrants John Saxon and Michael Dinn worked together at NASA’s Honeysuckle Creek Tracking Station near Canberra, which helped track Apollo missions such as Neil Armstrong’s first steps on the Moon in 1969, before the station closed in 1981.

Both later worked at the Canberra Deep Space Communication Complex in Tidbinbilla, again covering major missions.


John Saxon (with cigarette) and Michael Dinn at the Honeysuckle Creek Operations Console in early April 1970. Photo: NASA

The pair were honoured for their service to deep space tracking and exploration.

Others appointments in this year’s honours recognised optical physicist Keith Nugent and engineer and inventor Veena Sahajwalla, who were appointed Officers of the Order of Australia (AO).

Curtin University of Technology's Léonie Rennie was appointed a Member of the Order of Australia (AM) for her work in science and technology education, while Sylvia Tulloch received the same honour for her work in renewable energy, innovation, and technology commercialisation sectors.

Public Service Medals were awarded to Sharon Neville, a forensic biologist who helped implement a new type of robotic DNA sampling and an AI-powered automated sperm finder; and Robert Creek, who “made significant contributions to the IT field in the Northern Territory”.

A Conspicuous Service Medal (CSM) was also awarded to wing commander Brad Sheldon from the Royal Australian Air Force, for “meritorious achievement in the development of the cyber-warfare workforce and the cyber-warfare capability of the Australian Defence Force”.

Several Australian technology experts were previously recognised for their work as part of the 2024 King’s Birthday Honours list.